


Being English

by setos_puppy



Category: Glee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Pride Parade, Religious Discussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 18:05:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8763448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setos_puppy/pseuds/setos_puppy
Summary: Sequel to Going English.   It's been seven months and it's Sam's birthday. Kurt has a plan.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to [Going English](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8763424) please read that first. This was originally written in 2011 on Livejournal.

Kurt smiled as he spotted Sam slide easily over the curb and push up the parking lot of the garage. It was early summer, late on a Saturday morning and he and Sam were going to Columbus for the weekend for Pride. That and they were celebrating Sam’s birthday, which was coming up the next day.

 

It had been a long seven months since Sam had officially moved to Lima and in with his cousins. Seven months since Sam left the Amish community to be with Kurt.

 

It had been a long road, and Sam still held fast to many of his traditional beliefs, he went to Church every other Sunday and spent every Sunday afternoon with his cousins, helping Jonathan in the leading of the Bible readings since their were no other Amish in town. His cousins understood his love of God as well as his love for Kurt, and while at first Jonathan had a hard time reconciling the two, but he eventually, with the help of his religion, learned to accept his cousin wholly.

 

Sam still refused to learn how to drive. He was still getting used to email and computers, but he was picking it up fast, even if he didn’t have one at home. Sam’s home, while fully installed with electricity, was still lit primarily by kerosene lamp. Kurt was still pushing Sam to get a TV, but Emma, Sam’s cousin-in-law, was fighting him back in equal stubbornness. She always said that if Sam wanted to watch television he could watch it at Kurt’s. Kurt had let it go for now.

 

“You know,” Kurt greeted, sitting quietly on a bench outside of the main office as Sam glided to a stop and dropped down next to him to untie his in-line skates. “I don’t understand you sometimes. You don’t know how to drive, you’ve never ridden a bike, you’re never been to a beach to see the ocean, and yet you can roller blade.”

 

Sam rose a shoulder in a shrug as he pulled on one sneaker and tied it up before the second one was pulled out of his bag and onto his foot. “We were allowed roller blades and scooters, what can I say?” He grinned his lopsided grin at Kurt as he shoved his blades into his back pack. “Still love me?”

 

Kurt rolled his eyes and pressed his forehead to Sam’s temple. “Sadly, yes.”

 

Sam laughed softly, turning his head slightly to press his mouth to the side of Kurt’s. “Liebe dich.”

 

Kurt turned his head away from Sam as his father cleared his throat and smiled up at his dad. Burt nodded his head and watched as Sam zipped his large hiking back pack closed. “You’re going to take care of my boy, right?”

 

“I think he’s going to take care of me, sir. Columbus is bigger than anywhere I’ve been before.”

 

Kurt smiled at Sam and lightly bumped their shoulders together as he took Sam’s hand. They had made the executive decision to tell Kurt’s dad about Sam’s upbringing just after Sam had settled in Lima. Burt had approved, saying that he was sure Sam’s strict upbringing would make him a good, strong match for Kurt. Burt had also offered to give Sam pointers on driving if he ever wanted to learn.

 

Furthermore, Burt had invited Sam along on his and Kurt’s annual hunting trip when he learned that Sam had hunted with his family. Sam had agreed, half out of shock at the idea of Kurt knowing how to hunt. Kurt had looked at Sam point blank and then looked back to his father, and then back to Sam. Sam had laughed and nodded in wordless understanding. Point taken.

 

“It’ll be good practice for you so you don’t have a panic attack when we’re in New York next month for Nationals.”

 

Sam groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, his stomach twisting into knots at the idea. “Please... The nerves...” 

 

Kurt grinned a little, loving the fact that he could still tease his boyfriend and stood, pulling Sam to his feet. “We’re going now.”

 

Burt followed them to Kurt’s SUV and watched as Sam tossed his backpack in the rear seat and climbed into the passenger’s side. Burt eyed Kurt hard, pulling him close. “You take care of him, okay? He’s probably going to freak out. And I want you calling me when you get there. When you check in. When you’re going to bed. And when you leave tomorrow. Am I clear? I implanted a chip in you when you were seven and I will turn it on if I have to.”

 

Kurt laughed softly and wrapped his arms tightly around his father, smiling as he felt his dad crush him against his body. “I will. I’ll have fun and I promise to behave and not run off with any muscular men without inviting Sam first.”

 

Burt grunted and eyed Kurt hard before nodding his head and placing both of his hands on Kurt’s shoulders and squeezing. “Take care.”

 

Kurt nodded and climbed into the driver’s side smoothly, clipping himself in and starting the engine easily. He waved to his father as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road. He put his iPod into the dock and turned on the air conditioner as he looked over to Sam, who was watching him with reverent fascination.

 

“You excited?”

 

“ _Terrified_.”

 

Kurt’s hand slid easily from the gear shift and he took hold of Sam’s hand and squeezed it. “We’ll get through it together.”

 

Sam squeezed back before shifting in the seat and picked up the iPod, he fiddled with it, using the scroll wheel with his thumb before clicking on a song and then slipped it back into the dock. There was a pause before _Heart Like Mine_ by Miranda Lambert came through the SUV’s speakers and Sam relaxed back into his scene watching Lima flick by.

 

~*~

 

They arrived in Columbus later in the afternoon and managed to find the bed and breakfast Kurt had booked with little trouble. They checked into the their room, which was a quaint, small room with a TV, a phone, a king sized bed and a nice bathroom. Sam flopped back on the soft bed with a happy exhale after kicking off his shoes and rolling onto his stomach to watch Kurt.

 

“What’s the plan?”

 

“Well...” Kurt pulled out a chain with a set of rainbow edged dog tags out of his bag and slipped them over his neck before handing a second set of tags to Sam. “That’s our entrance pass. I got a brochure in my package...” Kurt rummaged through his bag before pulling out a small booklet and reclined next to Sam.

 

“I’m sure they have a bunch of things going on.”

 

“Mm... They have open air concerts at the park... There’s a night club but we’re not twenty one. They’re showing some movies down the street.” Kurt thumbed through the pages. “The parade is tomorrow at noon, so we’ll want to get a spot by eleven.”

 

“I hope you’ll explain everything to me. I don’t really know much about this kind of thing.”

 

“Neither do I, to be honest,” Kurt admitted, craning his neck back to look at Sam. “But I have my iPhone.”

 

Sam smiled happily and pressed his mouth lightly to Kurt’s. “Want to go find food?”

 

Kurt nodded and sat up, grabbing his messenger bag, he shouldered it as he stood and happily took Sam’s hand as they slipped from the room.

 

~*~

 

It was strange to Kurt, who was used to Lima’s small town mentality, to be allowed to walk around outside with Sam, their hands linked and no one giving a fuss. They were only about an hour and some away from Lima, but it seemed like an ocean apart in mindset. Couples; gay, lesbian, bisexual, polyamorous, were walking around arm in arm, or hand in hand shouting “happy pride” to one another.

 

They had pizza for dinner, sitting outside of a small pizzeria with a wood burning oven watching people walk by. It was such an eclectic group of people! Sam’s eyes tracked almost everyone that moved, trying to take it all in. They had checked in with Kurt’s dad between dinner and dessert, and he was glad to hear they were enjoying themselves. He wished them a good time and Kurt promised to call in the morning instead of before bed.

 

“So...” Kurt said, looking around the park that was filled with people milling around various vendor booths. “What do you want to do?”

 

“Maybe we can find... a history booth or something.”

 

They asked around, but instead of getting a booth, they were pointed in the direction of a man who was stretched out in a lawn chair, reading quietly amongst the chaos. He looked over the edge of the book and slid a bookmark in place before sliding his book to the side.

 

“Is this your first Pride?” Sam and Kurt nodded and he shifted in his chair. “Take a seat.” Sam sat on the grass and after a bit of hemming and hawwing, Kurt allowed himself to be pulled into Sam’s lap. The man smiled down at them and adjusted his sunglasses on his nose.  
“So, what do you want to know?”

 

Sam linked his arms around Kurt’s waist and peered up at the man. “Everything. I’m kind of... new to his whole thing.”

 

The man rose a brow and took a sip of his water, examining Kurt and Sam before clearing his throat. “You don’t look like you’re new.”

 

Sam flushed a little. “I...” He scratched at his knee in nervousness. “I’m from an Amish background.”

 

The man “hmmed” and nodded his head in understanding. “Well... What would you like to know?”

 

“About the rainbow flag.”

 

“Ah.” The man steepled his fingers. “Well, no one really knows where the original idea came from; there are theories, of course. Gilbert Baker, the man who made the flag, doesn’t talk about it much. Each colour has a meaning though. Red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight. green for nature, blue for serenity, and violet for spirit. The rainbow flag and the pink triangle are two of the more common symbols of queer culture.”

 

Sam’s brows furrowed a little in confusion. “Pink triangle?”

 

“It’s a reclaimed symbol. Do you know about Nazi Germany?”

 

Sam nodded solemnly, a frown tugging at his face. “Yeah.”

 

“Well, homosexuals were identified by the Nazi’s by a pink triangle sewn into their clothing when they were in the camps. It was reclaimed in the late 1970s to be a positive gay icon.”

 

Sam hummed thoughtfully, his mind swimming with information. “I like that. Taking back something horrible and making it nice.”

 

“I have a list of books...” The man was poking through a small bag before pulling out a thick bookmark and handed it to Sam. “I’m sure these will help you, the both of you, on your journies of self discovery.”

 

Sam stood after Kurt pulled himself up, taking his boyfriend’s hand and brushing off his jeans. “Thank you. You’ve been very helpful.”

 

The man had pulled his book into his lap and opened it again. “Anytime.”

 

Kurt and Sam made their way to a booth, sifting through buttons, pins and stickers. Sam took a bunch of information brochures and fliers, jamming them into his messenger bag with wide smiles of thanks. Everything here was so interesting!

 

“Kurt? Sam?”

 

Kurt turned slowly, recognizing the voice. Rachel was walking over to them, a bright, sunny smile on her face. Kurt resisted the very strong urge to roll his eyes. _Of course_ Rachel would be here. She was wearing a black and grey kilt with a simple blouse with a rainbow on it. Simple but so very Rachel.

 

“Hey, Rachel,” Sam greeted kindly, sending a shaky smile her way. “I was not expecting to see you here.”

 

“My dads and I come every year. They’re busy catching up with friends so I thought I’d come and listen to some of the free concerts. They have a henna tattoo booth by the stage, I was thinking about getting a music note, want to come?”

 

Kurt looked to Sam who rose a shoulder in a shrug. Kurt nodded and looked back to Rachel. “Sounds like it could be fun.”

 

Rachel nodded and turned on her heel, marching towards the booth with determination. Sam ducked his head down a little to speak to Kurt quietly. “What is henna?”

 

Kurt tugged on Sam’s hand slightly as they began walking. “It’s a fake tattoo. Like paint they put on your skin.”

 

“Oh.”

 

They reached the booth and Rachel was flicking through the booklet, looking for the perfect little symbol to sum herself up. The girl running the booth looked over and nodded her head at Sam and Kurt before going back to practicing her loops and whirls.

 

“Are you guys going to get one too?” Rachel asked, dropping into the chair next to the woman and propped her foot up on the overturned bucket so the woman had easy access to her ankle.

 

Sam shifted uncomfortably. Marking the skin with graven images was definitely forbidden. He licked his lips and shifted in place. “How long do they last?”

 

The woman glanced up as she finished the little music note and star on Rachel’s ankle, taking her donation with a nod. “About two weeks, it depends on how often you shower and what kind of soap you use.”

 

Rachel smiled up at Sam. “It’s fun, you should get something!”

 

Sam chewed on his lip before shifting his weight and turned his eyes to Kurt. Kurt smiled up at him and squeezed his hand. “You don’t have to get one if you don’t want to.”

 

“I...” Sam hesitated, still torn between being Amish and being English. “It will wash off, for sure?” The woman nodded and Sam nodded in return. It was just silly art. Something silly that English people liked to do and he was trying his best to reconcile the two worlds. He let out a slow breath and nodded again. “Okay.”

 

“Great, do you want your sign or something?”

 

Sam glanced up from the glossy paged binder Rachel had thrust into his hands. “My what?”

 

Kurt laughed a little, in a way that actually sounded amused and not condescending. “Your astrological sign, Sam.”

 

“Oh.” Sam shook his head with a shy, sheepish smile. “No thank you.” He perused the booklet some more before coming across the infinity symbol. It was simple and could be either religious or secular. “I like this.” He turned the book towards the woman and pointed.

 

She nodded and picked up her henna cone, gesturing grandly to the chair. Sam sat down and turned a little to give her full access to his right shoulder. He squirmed a little as the cool, gel-like substance smeared over his arm. It kind of tickled a little. After a few minutes the girl sat back and examined her handiwork and nodded. Sam fished out a five dollar bill and dropped it into the donation box, glancing down at his arm curiously as he stood.

 

“Are you getting one too?” The woman asked Kurt, who was watching Sam poke at the drying henna with a smile.

 

“Huh? Oh. I don’t know... Sure, I guess.” Kurt looked down at the book before looking to Sam. “What should I get?”

 

Sam pondered the question, watching Kurt flip the pages of the booklet before smiling to himself. “Wings und ein halo... on your wrist.”

 

“Oh? Why?”

 

Sam took Kurt’s wrist and rubbed at the skin on the inside above the palm of his right hand, he ducked his head, his lips brushing Kurt’s ear as he spoke in a low voice. “You are my angel.”

 

Kurt scoffed and lowered his head as a smile danced over his face and he nodded. “Alright.” Kurt took the chair and told the woman what he wanted, pointing to the inside of his right wrist and telling her he wanted a set of angel wings with a halo over top.

 

Sam smiled as the simple, almost cartoony drawing appeared on Kurt’s wrist and nodded approvingly when it was done. The woman took the bill Kurt slipped her and Kurt stood, showing it to Sam up close. Sam took Kurt’s fingers and squeezed them happily. “Beautiful.”

 

They smiled and followed behind Rachel as she wandered towards the main stage. Rachel settled down on a spot after spreading out a blanket and made herself comfortable. She offered the extra space to Kurt and Sam, but Sam shook his head, smiling down at her as he drew Kurt against him, swaying softly to the bluesy music that flowed over the air from the speakers. Kurt smiled against Sam’s neck and wrapped his arms around Sam’s shoulders as they swayed together, untroubled.

 

~*~

 

Kurt turned off the tap and stood from the edge of the tub and pulled off his shirt. If there was one thing he loved to do with Sam, aside from simply fall asleep holding each other, it was take a bath with him. They had a slow progressing sexual side of their relationship. Occasionally they would mutually masturbate or frot, but it was on the low side of priorities they had. Instead, they spent time reading together, watching movies, long spans of time talking, or watching movies.

 

“Mmmm, that smells nice.”

 

Kurt turned as he shucked off his jeans and smiled at Sam, who was testing the bubble infested water with his toes. “It’s black current and vanilla.”

 

Sam nodded his head and slid into the large, garden style tub the bed and breakfast had provided, the water sloshed roughly as he moved before settling to a slow ripple. Kurt stepped in carefully, avoiding Sam’s legs before he sunk into the hot, sweet smelling water and reclined against the blond’s strong chest. Sam nuzzled into the back of Kurt’s neck and rubbed at his shoulders, kissing his collarbone.

 

“It has been a while since we’ve done this,” Sam said softly.

 

“Too long.” Kurt sighed happily as Sam’s hot, sudsy hands slid over his back and shoulders, rubbing away the stress. “So, are you having fun?”

 

Sam nodded his head, shifting a little in the water and wrapping his legs around Kurt’s waist with ease. Kurt giggled, squirming a little to get more comfortable as he rested back against Sam and stroked over his knees.

 

“I’m not too heavy am I?”

 

“Not at all.”

 

Kurt tipped his head back and pressed his mouth along Sam’s jaw and kissed his mouth chastely. He linked their fingers together and squeezed before pulling Sam’s arms around him to hold him tighter. He loved feeling wrapped up in Sam; safe and sound. Sam nuzzled into Kurt’s hair, breathing the lingering smells of the shampoo Kurt had used that morning.

 

“So...” Sam started conversationally, mouthing down Kurt’s neck, sucking on all his weak spots and smiling into his pale flesh as Kurt’s toes curled against the rim of the tub in happiness. “What are we we going to do after this bath?”

 

“Well,” Kurt started, his voice coming out a little breathless, “I was thinking I could give you your birthday present and we could watch a movie.”

 

Sam hummed happily, nipping at the jut of Kurt’s collarbone, delighting in the soft hitched breath it earned him. “Sounds perfect.”

 

Kurt nodded his head, shutting his eyes and letting the heat of the water finally seep into him and make him feel easy and loose “Mmmhmmm.”

 

~*~

 

“Alright, here you go.” Kurt presented the wrapped box to Sam and climbed onto the bed, stretching out on the cool sheets that felt like heaven on his still bath-heated exposed arms and legs.

 

Sam took the box with a grateful smile and a kiss to the tip of Kurt’s nose before unwrapping the pale blue paper adorned with candles. An iPod touch was resting in a clear, protective box, adorned with a skin depicting a wide, sprawling country scene. Sam’s brow furrowed slightly but the confused expression wiped seconds later with a wide smile.

 

“It’s beautiful.”

 

“I had it custom made for you,” Kurt explained, curling closer to Sam and showing him the way it worked. “I loaded all of your favourite songs on here and whenever you need to recharge it, I’ll do it for you.”

 

Sam turned it over in his hands, admiring the skin over the iPod with a smile, running his fingers down the sides. “I love it. Thank you.”

 

Kurt smiled, watching as Sam tucked it aside carefully on the nightstand before curling up into the propped up pillows, his arm settling easily around Kurt’s shoulder as Kurt curled against him, head resting on his shoulder. They selected a movie together, settling for _Brokeback Mountain_ because Kurt had fallen asleep halfway through it and Sam had yet to see it.

 

They watched the love story unfold, curled up together under the covers. Kurt shifted, sliding against Sam to tangle their pyjama clad legs together, sighing happily. His eyes were locked on the screen, his head rising and falling with each breath Sam took; the dialogue of the movie slightly muffled by Sam’s powerful, steady heartbeat. Sam turned his head, his chin resting against the crown of Kurt’s head, pressing a kiss to the slightly steam curled hair and rubbed his thumb against the henna tattoo Kurt had gotten earlier.

 

~*~

 

They woke fairly early the next morning and took their complimentary breakfast in the homey kitchen. The food was fresh and hot and filling without being too much. When they finished, they changed into the clothes they were going to wear - Sam into a sleeveless, ribbed, grey A-shirt and jeans. It was fairly hot for early June and he didn’t want to overheat; Kurt dressed in a pair of jeans and after a bit of decision making, pulled on a loose, white t-shirt with a print of Marylin Monroe’s face on it in a mock airbrush style and tucked them into his sea-foam green jeans.

 

“Dressing down?”

 

“Usually I’d comment with a snappy comeback, but to be honest, sometimes it’s nice to be casual.”

 

“And it must be cooler without all those layers.”

 

Kurt laughed as he tied his high topped sneakers before packing his things up in his suitcase, watching as Sam did the same. They checked out and left their luggage in Kurt’s SUV, keeping only the essentials with them in their messenger bags. They headed out - hand in hand - to find a good spot to watch the parade. After a bit of walking they managed to find a spot in the shade and with a place for them to sit with a clear view.

 

They nodded politely to the people walking by wishing them a “happy pride” every so often returning the sentiment. They watched couples walk around in various states of dress and undress - topless men and women were walking around, some covered in body paint, some simply nude from the waist up, or wearing simple shorts. Some people were walking around in bondage gear, and the bears were easily spotted. However, everyone seemed pleasant and jovial.

 

Two boys, one was shirtless, wearing cutoff jeans and flip flops, the other wearing a t-shirt that bore the text “no one knows I’m gay” and similar cut off shorts walked by, handcuffed together with a pair of fuzzy white handcuffs. Sam rose a brow at them, a smile quirking his mouth at the adorable picture they made. They both seemed older than he and Kurt and he wondered if in a year or two, he and Kurt would be doing something similar.

 

It didn’t take long until the parade started, a motorcycle brigade of various queer persons leading the charge with a thunderous roar to the cheers and applause of the attendants. Kurt’s heart hammered and he squeezed Sam’s hand tightly, feeling Sam’s squeeze back in nervous anticipation. They exchanged glances and smiles before resting their heads together to watch the events unfold.

 

The floats were beautiful and dramatic. Filled with dancing bodies moving to music pumped over speakers representing various organizations and companies. They were handed a cacophony of things - condoms, pamphlets, leaflets, buttons, stickers, pins, bracelets, cookies, lollipops... They were all shoved into their bags with a laugh and a grin.

 

When the religious groups marched passed, with their signs and placards on acceptance and how God loved everyone and that it was okay to be gay, Sam quieted down, a watery smile coming over his face. He moved from his spot and caught up with a girl who was holding a sign saying _JESUS HAD TWO DADDIES AND HE TURNED OUT FINE - free hugs for all those who want one_ and wrapped his arms around her in a hug. She returned the embrace fiercely and slipped a card and pamphlet into Sam’s hands before jogging to catch up with her group.

 

Then came the youth groups. They had water guns to spray down the heated crowds of people and Kurt ducked behind Sam to avoid getting splashed. Sam jolted, giving a shocked gasp as a water balloon filled with cold water exploded onto his chest, quickly followed by a second one. Kurt laughed as Sam shook his hair out, sending droplets of water everywhere.

 

“What... on earth?”

 

Kurt looked at Sam, who was now dripping and covered in glitter. A wide grin broke out over his face. “You’ve been glitter bombed.”

 

Sam picked at the shiny, tiny flecks on his skin, shaking his hands rapidly to try and get rid of it. “It...” He wiped at his arms, spreading the multi-coloured shine everywhere. “How do I get it off?”

 

“A hot shower with a lot of soap.”

 

Sam scowled a moment before he looked to Kurt, a slow smile spreading over his face. Kurt’s eyes widened and he took off running. Seconds later Sam bolted after him.

 

~*~

 

“So, you had a good time?” Kurt asked as they trundled through Lima towards Sam’s house.

 

“Yeah, a lot, thank you.”

 

They were both covered in glitter, they had found a cache of it and things had gone downhill quickly. Kurt was pretty sure he was going to be vacuuming it out of his SUV for months, but it had been worth it to see the look of joy on Sam’s face. Sam was still picking rainbows, hearts, stars and diamonds from his hair as they turned onto his street. Kurt had to admit, Sam looked pretty adorable (and very gay) in his well fitting jeans and sleeveless shirt baring his strong, muscled arms and the henna tattoo; it was the glitter that made him smile, however. Sam _shimmered_ if he caught the right light - he looked like he had been out clubbing all night and had been sprayed down with body glitter; possibly while dry humping in a corner.

 

Stereotypes were funny like that.

 

Kurt was pretty sure Sam would implode if he ever set foot in a gay club. Pulling into Sam’s driveway, Kurt made a mental note to introduce him to _Queer as Folk_.

 

“Well, here we are. Now you can shower and go to bed early like a good Amish boy.” Kurt dodged the light blow aiming for the back of his head with a giggle.

 

Sam exited the car, Kurt following and Kurt watched as Sam shouldered his large backpack with ease and closed the SUV back gently. “Want to come inside for tea?”

 

Kurt hesitated, Jonathan had accepted Sam’s homosexuality, but he wasn’t completely sure what Sam’s cousin thought of their relationship. He smiled and nodded. “Tea sounds great.”

 

Sam smiled and draped his arm across Kurt’s waist, his hand resting quite possessively against Kurt’s hip. Kurt smiled and slid his hand into the back pocket of Sam’s jeans without a thought and moved against Sam easily. They slid off their still slightly damp shoes and socks to dry on the porch before Sam opened the door to the house, stepping inside.

 

The smell of an apple spice cake assaulted Kurt’s nose; Emma had baked Sam a birthday cake. Sam dropped his bag by the stairs and hung up his in-line skates in the closet before his hand slid to Kurt’s and he tugged on his hand towards the kitchen.

 

“Emma? Jonathan? I made it home safely! We had a lovely --” Sam stopped short, his toes curling against the tile as he noticed a woman sitting at the table. “Mama.”

 

Kurt felt the bottom of his stomach drop out as he looked at Sam’s mother. She was dressed in a deep blue dress with a smock and bonnet. Emma’s place at the table was occupied, the chair pushed out but empty. The woman, Sam’s mother, was around fourty-five, maybe a little older, she was attractive despite her age, and held herself firm. Her fingers were wrapped loosely around a mug of instant coffee.

 

“Hello, Samuel.” Her eyes drifted over to Kurt, flickering down to notice their still entwined fingers. “Samuel’s friend.”

 

Kurt cleared his throat in discomfort, shifting in place. “Kurt Hummel, ma’am.”

 

The woman’s brow rose at the name but nodded her head. “Hannah Troyer,” she introduced but made no move to stand.

 

Kurt’s brows furrowed - _Troyer_ \- but he remained silent. Standing vigil next to Sam.

 

“Ah! You made it home!” Emma called as she breezed into the room, pausing briefly to press her lips to Sam’s cheek in greeting. “And you sparkle!”

 

Sam offered her a tight-lipped smile in return, his eyes drifting back to his mother. “Where is father?”

 

“With Jonathan. Your siblings are home. Your father and I took the train.”

 

Sam gave a rapt nod and fixated his gaze on the floor, shifting uncomfortably and released Kurt’s hand as he pivoted in place, scratching at his arm in nervousness. Hannah shot up, crossing the distance between them with quick strides and seized hold of Sam’s arm turning him to the side as she looked down at the henna on his arm.

 

“You... you _defiled_ your body?”

 

“Mama, it is a kind paint. It washes off!”

 

Kurt shifted in discomfort and looked to Emma. The older woman smiled apologetically and laid her hands on his shoulders, squeezing softly. Kurt let out a slow breath and tried to relax.

 

“We should have said no to you going on Rumspringa, we were foolish to give you the freedom. Now you are here, putting graven images on your body, going to brazen festivals, not to mention parading around with...” Her lips pressed into a tight line to stop her tirade and she shook Sam hard by her iron grip on his arm. “Do you even pray anymore, Samuel? I pray for you every night. I miss you. Your brothers and sisters miss you.”

 

“Mama, I am happy here! I would be living a lie if I stayed at the Church.”

 

Hannah made a scoffing noise and released Sam’s arm; Sam stumbled a little, his other hand moving up to rub at his arm. “Happy, Samuel? You do not call. You do not write. Seven months and not a word from you! God forbid something horrible had happened to you! Why did you cut us out?”

 

“You told me to leave!” Sam cried, balling up his hands. “I confided in you and you threw me out!”

 

Hannah reeled back before she surged forward and wrapped her arms around Sam. Sam was tense in her embrace before he slowly relaxed, his arms wrapping around his mother’s frame. They stayed like that for a few long moments before Hannah stepped back and stroked down Sam’s cheek and took hold of his jaw, smiling at him.

 

“I did not mean to drive you away. I... I may not _understand_ your choice but you are my son and I love you.”

 

“Thank you, Mama.. That means a lot to me.” Sam smiled back at her before biting his lower lip and snickering. “You have glitter all over you.”

 

Kurt gave a snicker of amusement, biting his lip as he tried to hold back his laughter. He and Sam exchanged glances before they both burst into laughter. Sam dodged the swat from his mother as he leaned against the counter in support.

 

“And you,” Hannah turned her eyes to Kurt and pointed at him, “you mean much to my son. You be good to him.” She nodded approvingly. “Hummel is a good German name.”

 

Sam cleared his throat. “Well, I am going to go take a shower.”

 

“And hopefully put on something decent,” Hannah chided, frowning at Sam’s clothing.

 

“Kurt may use the bathroom James and I use if he would like. I am sure you have some clothes you could lend him, Samuel.”

 

Sam nodded and he and Kurt took that as their cue to leave. When they were upstairs, Kurt watched as Sam looked through his drawers before pulling out his plain clothes and dropped them on his bed. He pulled out a pair of loose sweatpants and a t-shirt for Kurt, laughing at the way Kurt’s nose scrunched up in distaste.

 

“So, why do you go by Evans?” Kurt asked, helping Sam by throwing his dirty laundry in the hamper.

 

“I thought if I went by Troyer everyone would know, somehow, that I was Amish.”

 

“At McKinley? I don’t think half of those kids even know what Amish is.”

 

Sam laughed and shrugged helplessly. “How was I supposed to know?”

 

Kurt smiled and followed Sam into the bathroom, raising a brow as Sam locked the door. ”With your mother in the house, really Sam, you’re becoming such a corrupt English boy.”

 

Sam pulled his shirt over his head as he stepped into the shower, gasping at the chill of the water as it started. “What she fails to know will not hurt her.”

 

Kurt slipped behind Sam and pressed kisses to his bare back, arms sliding around Sam’s waist as he rested his cheek against Sam’s shoulder blade. “Hey Sam?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Kurt traced around Sam’s navel teasingly, watching as glitter floated through the water and circled the drain. He nuzzled against Sam’s shoulder and pressed an open mouthed kiss to the spot, sucking the tepid water. “Happy Birthday.”


End file.
